


Comfort

by jam82



Category: One Direction (Band), Zayn Malik (Musician)
Genre: Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-27
Updated: 2016-01-27
Packaged: 2018-05-16 16:28:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5832595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jam82/pseuds/jam82





	Comfort

It started during the Take Me Home tour. Niall's body seemed too big for his skin the nervous energy setting him on edge and making him unable to sleep. There was no rhyme or reason to what would set it off, but it would always end with Niall pacing the bus trying to find some way to quiet his brain. It was a month into touring when Zayn had quietly tucked them both inside his bunk and quietly let Niall talk about whatever was on his mind while Zayn simply listened and held the blond close to him, Niall's head on his chest, until the feeling of Zayn carding his fingers soothingly through his hair had Niall relax and go quiet. When Niall was on the edge of sleep and made a move to get up, Zayn would tighten his grip on the younger boy and mutter a simple "stay" before picking up his discarded book and reading until they both drifted off to sleep.

The first time it had happened Niall had woken up in the morning and detangled himself from Zayn's arms with an apology for being clingy to which Zayn responded by patting his cheek and making a protest about Niall's self claimed clinginess. The next time Niall was lying in his bunk wide awake and buzzing with nervous energy, he had tried to avoid the other boys in an effort to not disturb them knowing they all needed their sleep. It only took a look from a sleepy Zayn and a jerk of his head towards the bunks for Niall to climb in next to Zayn promising it was just this one time and he'd not bother Zayn again. Zayn had shushed him and rolled both of them over on their sides and had started telling him about the phone call with his mother earlier that day. Niall fell asleep to the sound of Zayn's heart beating under his ear and a smile on his face from the stories about what Zayn's sisters had gotten up to.

When Harry had questioned them about it, Niall had frozen in panic while Zayn had simply shrugged and said it was nice to have someone to confide in when he was missing home. Niall could have kissed him for keeping his secret safe.

This pattern of Niall being unable to quiet his mind and Zayn being his rock had continued on through the tours and small breaks. Niall had never doubted that soft spoken patient Zayn would always be present even if it’s just by text because he’s off doing his own thing but at the same time always knowing what Niall needed even if it was just a phone call in the middle of the night to hear Zayn breathing on the other end of the line.

When Zayn left he had promised that things wouldn't change and for a while Niall believed him. Ultimately things do change and Niall can’t quite figure out how to quiet the sounds in his mind when he’s lying alone in bed at night trying to sleep and there are only so many times you can wipe down the kitchen counters, because what do you do, when the person you thought was you rock is the one who ends up causing the pain?


End file.
